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Root Office
Despite being well into his fifties, Shimura Danzō remained as sharp and active as ever. His years had done little to dull his keen mind or his ambition. Even now, he handled many matters himself, preferring his own judgment to that of his subordinates.
"Ryoma," Danzō said, eyes scanning the scroll in his hand. "Has the Uchiha clan's relocation been completed?"
The chaos from the Nine-Tails' attack—later known as the Nine-Tails Incident—had left the Uchiha clan under intense scrutiny. The Sharingan that appeared in the beast's eyes had cast suspicion over the entire clan. Many in Konoha believed the Uchiha were involved in controlling the Nine-Tails.
At the most recent Konoha Council meeting, it was Danzō who suggested relocating the Uchiha clan to the southwest outskirts of the village, where they would be under constant surveillance by the ANBU. The decision had been backed by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Without his support, even Danzō wouldn't have been able to push it through.
Aburame Ryoma, draped in his usual black cloak, stepped forward. "The relocation is almost complete," he reported.
"And how did the Uchiha respond?" Danzō asked, his voice calm but edged with curiosity.
"As expected, they were resistant. There were a few minor clashes, but Uchiha Fugaku stepped in and managed to restore order."
Danzō's lips curled into a dark smile. The plan had gone just as he'd expected. He owed some strange gratitude to the man who controlled the Nine-Tails during the attack—without that incident, forcing the Uchiha out would have been far more difficult.
"The Uchiha are a ticking time bomb," Danzō muttered. "It's only a matter of time before they explode."
His hand moved instinctively to his right arm, where Senju Hashirama's cells had been implanted. The First Hokage's power, the legendary Wood Release (Mokuton), was now his to command. But it wasn't enough. If he could only get his hands on the Sharingan, then no one—not even Hiruzen Sarutobi—could stand in his way.
Once he had both powers, the title of Hokage would be his for the taking.
Forcing the Uchiha to the outskirts was not just a strategic move, it was part of his long-standing obsession. He had coveted their Sharingan for years. The combination of Wood Release and the Uchiha's powerful dōjutsu would place him beyond even Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
And yet, something troubled him. His brow furrowed slightly as his thoughts returned to recent events.
"Why..." he muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on the scroll. The Nine-Tails' rampage had been the perfect excuse to marginalize the Uchiha, and the young Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had perished in the process—a two-fold victory for Danzō. But somehow, things hadn't gone as expected.
He hadn't anticipated Hiruzen reclaiming the Hokage's seat. His teeth clenched in frustration. The old man had outmaneuvered him once again.
"But it won't last long," Danzō reassured himself. "Sarutobi is past his prime. Soon enough, a new Hokage will be chosen."
And when that time came, Danzō would make sure the power of the Uchiha was firmly in his grasp.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps interrupted his musings. A Root operative appeared and knelt before him.
"Lord Danzō, we've lost contact with 'Tenzo'. We can't locate him anywhere."
Danzō's smile vanished, his expression darkening. Tenzo—was the result of the Wood Release experiments, and one of Danzō's most valuable assets. Losing him was unacceptable. Tenzo was meant to be the ultimate weapon, loyal to Danzō alone.
"Say that again," Danzō growled, his voice low and dangerous.
"Tenzo disappeared last night. We've searched continuously, but there's no trace of him. We believe he's left the village."
Danzō's fist slammed onto the table, his fury barely contained. "How does someone vanish under your watch?!"
Tenzo had been kept under strict surveillance at one of Danzō's hidden training facilities, where no one should have been able to breach security unnoticed. Yet here they were.
After a moment, Danzō forced himself to calm down. His fingers tightened around his cane as he spoke.
"Where is Orochimaru?" he asked, his tone as sharp as ever.
"Orochimaru is conducting experiments at his residence," Ryoma replied promptly.
"Investigate his base. See if there's any connection to 'Tenzo'."
Danzō's mind was clouded with suspicion. There were few in Konoha capable of outmaneuvering him, and Orochimaru was one of them. Ryoma, with his insect-based tracking, would be able to scout Orochimaru's lab without drawing attention.
---
Ninja Academy
Natsume stifled a yawn. While the practical ninja classes were interesting, the theory lessons—particularly those on the history of the Hokage and the Will of Fire—were painfully dull. It felt like every other lesson revolved around the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as though the textbooks were written to sing his praises.
Natsume glanced over at Uchiha Itachi, who sat nearby, paying close attention to the lecture. Itachi absorbed every word, the ideals of the Will of Fire clearly resonating with him.
Natsume couldn't help but think of Itachi's future. He was already on the path to greatness, having seen battle at the tender age of four. By the time he turned thirteen, he would slaughter his entire clan.
Natsume didn't particularly like Itachi. His calculating nature and unwavering loyalty to the village made him dangerous—especially to those closest to him.
"He'll probably stab me in the back one day," Natsume thought with a smirk.
Still, just because Natsume had no interest in keeping Itachi around didn't mean others wouldn't.
Itachi's first major step was joining the ANBU, but Natsume had plans to intervene. Perhaps he could steer Itachi toward someone who had a fondness for talented orphans.
Orochimaru.
Not out of kindness, of course. But setting the stage for a future clash between Itachi and Orochimaru was too good to pass up. After all, Itachi would one day defeat Orochimaru with his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"What's wrong?" Itachi asked suddenly, noticing Natsume's gaze.
"Nothing," Natsume replied with a grin. "Want to grab dinner after school?"
"No, thank you," Itachi responded politely, though his tone was distant.
Itachi was not one for small talk. He much preferred spending his time with Shisui, discussing more serious matters like the Will of Fire.
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